Tokelau's Flag depicts a Tokelauan canoe
sailing towards the manu (Southern Cross). The canoe symbolises Tokelau's
journey towards finding the best governance structure for its people; the
Southern Cross symbolises a navigational aid for the journey. The Southern
Cross has helped Tokelauan fishermen navigate the waters around Tokelau for
centuries while they have fished to sustain families and villages with its
riches.

The white stars of the Southern Cross are a symbol of
Christianity, an important part of everyday life in Tokelau. White also
signifies the cooperation and unity among the atolls of Tokelau and a shared
aspiration to secure a better life for Tokelauans. Yellow signifies a happy,
peaceful community. Blue signifies the ocean on which Tokelauans depend for
their livelihood and is also the colour of the sky which holds the stars that
direct Tokelau's people.

Tokelau's flag has been under development
for a number of years. In 2007 a competition was held to design a new flag
and the final version, approved by Tokelau's General Fono in February this
year, is based on the winning design. As is customary for official flags of
the Commonwealth, the flag was granted a Royal Licence by Her Majesty the
Queen in August 2009.

The official blazon (technical description in
heraldic terminology) of the flag is: "Azure a Tokelau Canoe Or in the
hoist a constellation of the Southern Cross composed of four Mullets Argent."
[Azure = blue; Or = gold or yellow; Argent = silver, but normally shown as
white]

Tokelau received its
first official flag from the Governor-General, Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, at
Government House on 7 September.

Cai Zhenyuan, 30 May 2010

The precise appearance of this flag has been uncertain. Early reports showed it
with the waka (canoe) extending from hoist to fly and top to bottom as
shown in this image (by Cai Zhenyuan,
7 June 2008).

Ms. Megan Birnie from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
stated to me that there is no present construction sheet for the Tokelau flag,
but she did give me this: Colours (Pantone scale): Background - Blue (280 as
used on the New Zealand flag); Sail - yellow (109); Stars of the Southern Cross
- whiteFlag size: 1.8 m by 0.9 m (or length twice the width)The
proportions of the stars should follow the exact proportions of the Southern
Cross as it appears on the New Zealand flag.Zach Harden, 21 June 2010

The following information is from the US Department of the Interior
on islands of disputed sovereignty in the 20th century. The document
appears to be from early 1998, so there may be some changes. The US
relinquished claims to 3 atolls in the Union (Tokelau) Islands in a
treaty signed December 2, 1980 between the United States and New Zealand. The treaty, signed in
Atufu Atoll was effective September 3, 1983. These atolls were: Atafu,
Fafaofu and Nukunono.
Phil Nelson, 27 April 2000

A group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean,
about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand, with an area of
10 sq km and a population of ca. 1,458. Originally settled by
Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau
Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred
to New Zealand administration
in 1925 (...), administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as
amended in 1970. The Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers legislative
power on the unicameral General Fono. Dependency
status: territory of New Zealand.
The Queen and New Zealand are represented by an
Administrator. Tokelauans are drafting a constitution, developing
institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward
free association with New Zealand.

1.1 Hoorayyyyyyyyy! At last, we have our own national
symbols!
In its May 2008 sitting, the General Fono finally decided on Tokelau's
national symbols. The General Fono considered recommendations on the
flag, symbol and national anthem. A decision was made in regard to the
flag and the national symbol as shown below. While this is a landmark
decision, our legal team has advised that the Government of New Zealand
needs to be formally notified of the decision. The Queen as the Head of
State of the Realm of New Zealand will also need to be advised. While
this might take some time, the request from the legal team is to await
all formalities to be finalised before we can actually use or convey
this decision to the Tokelau communities overseas.
The General Fono also agreed to give an opportunity to the
winner of the anthem competition to improve his version of the anthem,
to work closely with the Council for the Ongoing Government and to
submit contribution to the next General Fono."

Ben Cahoon, 13 June 2008

Tuesday, 8 September 2009, 8:32 am, Press Release: Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and TradeTokelau flag presented by the Governor-General
The Tokelau flag was officially presented by the Governor-General Hon Sir Anand
Satyanand, to the Ulu o Tokelau (Titular Head of Government), Aliki Faipule Foua
Toloa at a ceremony held at Government House, Wellington, this afternoon
(Monday).Cai Zhenyuan, 26 September 2009

The Office of the [New
Zealand] Administrator for Tokelau let me know:Tokelau will be
launching it's first official flag on Monday 19 October on all three of its
atolls. The flag will also be raised in the New Zealand parliament on Tuesday
20 October. Effectively this is the same day as New Zealand is one day ahead
of Tokelau. You can find a link to the official blazon and the
lay description of the flag on the
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade website. Please note that prior to 19 October, the
flag will not have been officially launched. Jos Poels, 7 October
2009

The official inauguration of the Tokelau flag has been delayed until 21 October,
I was informed by the Administrator. It was originally scheduled for the 19th of
October. I wasn't given a reason.Jos Poels, 15 October 2009

New flag for Tokelau flies at Parliament 15:36 October 22, 2009
Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party

22 October 2009 History made as new flag for Tokelau
flies at Parliament Today marks a historic occasion. It is the first time
the Tokelauan flag has flown at Parliament in Wellington. Today marks a
historic occasion. It is the first time the Tokelauan flag has flown at
Parliament in Wellington. Labour Pacific MP’s Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, Su’a William Sio and Carmel
Sepuloni celebrated the event together on the Parliamentary forecourt.

“The flag, which received the Queen’s approval in August, is Tokelau’s
first flag, and will replace the New Zealand Flag, previously used to
represent Tokelau on the international stage,” Labour’s Spokesperson for
Pacific Island Affairs, Luamanuvao Winnie Laban said.

The flag was formally presented to Tokelau’s leaders by the Governor
General on 7 September. It is azure blue with a stylised Tokelauan canoe in
full sail in yellow, and a silver Southern Cross.

“The Southern Cross remains as a symbol of Tokelau’s relationship with
New Zealand and its role in navigation, so important in Tokelau’s past. The
canoe symbolises Tokelau’s collective journey into a sustainable and viable
future in a uniquely Pacific way, while the azure blue represents the ocean,
so important in sustaining Tokelau.

“This is a hugely important day for Tokelau and the Tokelauan community,”
Ms Laban said.

“I wish to congratulate the Government of Tokelau, including the Ulu o
Tokelau Aliki Faipule Foua Toloa, and the Tokelauan people. I hope that
their wonderful new flag will be a great source of pride,” Ms Laban said.

A referendum was to be held in the territory of Tokelau on 13
February 2006. The option was for or against a self-governing free
association status with New Zealand.Juan Manuel Villascan, 9 February 2006

There is a flag issue in the self-determination referendum in
Tokelau. The
agency
SBS gave details on the referendum on 13 February 2006, with
the following sentence on the flag: "A competition is being held for a
flag and national anthem and symbol to be adopted if the referendum is
passed."Ivan Sache, 13 February 2006

Although there were more votes for the proposal (Tokelau
becoming a self-governing state in free association with NZ) 349 (232
against) a 2/3 majority was needed for the proposal to be accepted. It
remains to be seen if there will be a flag after the rejection of the
proposal. The original deadline for the entries (for the flag, emblem
and anthem competition) was Oct 15, 2004 but then it was extended until
Nov 30, 2004. The final decision should have been taken (according to
Tokelau's official website at
http://www.tokelau.org.nz)
by General Fono by the end of May 2005. But there have been no updates
for this matter for many months now.P. Renesis, 16 February 2006

In response to an inquiry I received the reply:

Tokelau's National Symbols Competition for flags,
anthem and symbols
started in 2004 and have continued up to now 2006. The entries for
flags,
anthem and symbols were closed in August 31 2005. The Tokelau National
Symbol Committee met in October 2005 to finalise the flags, anthem and
symbols and prepare a report on the finalists for the General Fono's
considerations.

Regarding the flags, there were 123 flags entries received
for the flag
competition and the National Symbol Committee of Tokelau had selected
only 6 flags, 3 anthems and 3 symbols and submitted them to the General
Fono in November 2005 to decide the flag, anthem and symbol for
Tokelau.
Unfortunately, the General Fono decided to refer the 6 flags, 3 symbols
and 3 anthems back to the 3 Villages of Tokelau for their view.

The General Fono will sit next month March 17 and they will
decide on the
flag, anthem and symbol for Tokelau.

The August 2006 General Fono decided to re-open the Tokelau National
Symbols Competition in order to give further opportunity for
submissions. It was also decided that the Council for the Ongoing
Government be responsible for the competition. The Council therefore
agreed: that the competition will close on 1st April 2007; to give
recommendation/s to the General Fono in its June 2007 sitting; that the
guidelines and criteria approved by the General Fono in 2004 shall be
the same used for this round of the competition. They are:

criteria for the Flag: must reflect Tokelau's history,
environment with a focus to the future; (must include the Tokelau
culture and Christianity) must be simple

criteria for the National Anthem: must reflect Tokelau's
history, environment with a focus to the future; (must include the
Tokelau culture and Christianity) must be under 2 minutes long; and
must be harmonious and make one feel proud to be Tokelauan.

criteria for National Symbol: must be unique to Tokelau;
must be lively, a symbol which originates from the myths and legends of
Tokelau.

It is important that the lyrics and notes to the anthem are provided
and copied to a tape or a CD so that it can be played back. All entries
must reach the Office of the Council for the Ongoing Government in Apia
no later then 1 April 2007.

Ivan Sache, 7 March 2007

From Tokelau's Government official site, Bulletin Jun 19, 2007:
"After a long wait of 4 years, the General Fono has finally decided on
the national symbols of Tokelau. These will be posted on the
www.tokelau.org.nz
website in the near future"Paraskevas Renesis, 30 June 2007

"As part of their meeting on Wednesday 22 August, the Council for the
Ongoing Government of Tokelau listened to a revised version of the
national anthem. The revised composition had kindly been undertaken by
June Ryan of the June Ryan School of Music in Apia. This was greatly
appreciated by the Council as was the beautiful singing by Daphne
Collins. Council also viewed the revised versions of the flag and the
national symbol."
But no image nor description yet.Olivier Touzeau, 2 September 2007

In http://www.tokelau.org.nz
in the latest bulletin (Sept. 20) we have at last a photo showing part
of the new flag (blue/yellow with 4 (white?) stars). I have the
"suspicion" that the stars are arranged the way the 3 atolls (plus
Swains [Olohega]) are "positioned" in the world map!Paraskevas Renesis, 25 September 2007

Looks like a stylised Polynesian oceangoing canoe (vaka), with
sail fully hoisted. Tokelau's people often refer to their islands
metaphorically as a canoe, so this would make perfect sense. Some
images of these canoes can be found at
http://www.canoetokelau.com/whatweredoing.asp. The four stars
intrigue me - they are in the correct positions for the four islands in
the Tokelau chain - the three which make up Tokelau itself, plus one
which is currently a US unincorporated territory but claimed by
Tokelau. James Dignan, 25 September 2007

Since the referendum on free association with NZ failed back
in October, it seems a new flag is, for now, off the table.Joshua Holman, 11 December 2007